Efficacy of atorvastatin in achieving National Cholesterol Education Program low-density lipoprotein targets in women with severe dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease or risk factors for cardiovascular disease: The Women’s Atorvastatin Trial on Cholesterol (WATCH)

Abstract

Background Recent studies have demonstrated that women at high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) benefit from cholesterol lowering to an extent similar to that of men. The ability to achieve established treatment goals for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in women with clearly defined risk factors has not been examined in detail. Methods and Results We have determined the efficacy and frequency of achieving target levels for LDL-C with atorvastatin on the basis of National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel II recommendations in 318 women according to the presence of CVD (198 women) or risk factors for CVD (120 women) and the presence of mixed dyslipidemia with obesity with or without CVD (72 women). Mean baseline LDL-C concentrations for women with established CVD were in the upper 10% of the distribution for age-matched North American women and, for those without CVD, were also extremely elevated and were in the top 5% of the LDL-C distribution for age-matched women in this population. The majority of participants without CVD (63%) reached LDL-C targets (LDL-C ≤160 mg/dL [4.1 mmol/L] if <2 CHD risk factors and LDL-C ≤130 mg/dL [3.4 mmol/L] if ≥2 CVD risk factors) with 10 mg atorvastatin and 79% reached targets with up to 20 mg of atorvastatin. For women with established CVD, 34% achieved an LDL-C ≤100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L) with 10 mg and 60% reached this target with up to 20 mg of atorvastatin. With maximal titration to the LDL-C target, up to and including 80 mg atorvastatin, 87% of women without CVD and 80% of women with established CVD achieved LDL-C targets. The presence of mixed dyslipidemia with obesity did not affect the frequency of achieving LDL-C targets. Conclusion: Atorvastatin is very effective in achieving National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel II target concentrations for LDL-C in the majority of women with established CVD or CVD risk factors. (Am Heart J 2001;141: 949-56.)